What ' s known on the subject? and What does the study add? Depression plays an important role in pathogenesis of BPH. Our study shows that prostatic symptoms can be helpful in the screening for depression. OBJECTIVE• To evaluate the relationship between lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) and depression in men through validated questionnaires. PATIENTS AND METHODS• Healthy male workers ( n = 673) were invited to a free health check-up.• Patients underwent a detailed medical examination.• All participants completed the International Prostate Symptom Score (IPSS) questionnaire and the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI). RESULTS• Under multiple logistic regression analysis (adjusted for total testosterone and age), a signifi cant effect of IPSS on BDI score was observed: mild depression (BDI score > 9): odds ratio (OR) 1.092, 95% confi dence interval (CI) 1.056 -1.129; P < 0.001; moderate-to-severe depression (BDI score > 19): OR 1.093, 95% CI 1.031 -1.159; P = 0.003; and severe depression (BDI score > 29): OR 1.176, 95% CI 1.048 -1.320; P = 0.006. CONCLUSIONS• In healthy men, LUTS are signifi cantly associated with depression.• The treatment of LUTS is very important for the mental health of older men.

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Despite extensive analysis of the BRCA1 and BRCA2 genes, germline mutations are detected in <20% of families with a presumed genetic predisposition for breast and ovarian cancer. Recent literature reported RAD51C as a new breast cancer susceptibility gene. In this study, we report the analysis of 410 patients from 351 unrelated pedigrees. All were referred for genetic testing and we selected families with at least one reported case of ovarian cancer in which BRCA1&2 mutations were previously ruled out. We analyzed the coding exons, intron-exons boundaries, and UTRs of RAD51C. Our mutation analysis did not reveal any unequivocal deleterious mutation. In total 12 unique sequence variations were identified of which two were novel. Our study and others suggest a low prevalence of RAD51C mutations with an exception for some founder populations. This observation is in favor of the rare allele hypothesis in the debate over the nature of the genetic contribution to individual susceptibility to breast and ovarian cancer and further genome-wide studies in high risk families are warranted.

Routine transurethral bladder biopsies after a bacillus Calmette-Guérin induction course are not necessary. An individually approach is recommended, tailored from cystoscopic findings and cytology.

Blindness is one of the most devastating conditions affecting the quality of life. Hereditary degenerative diseases, such as retinitis pigmentosa, are characterized by the progressive loss of photoreceptors, leading to complete blindness. No treatment is known, the current state-of-the-art of restoring vision are implanted electrode arrays. As a recently discovered alternative, optical neuromodulators, such as channelrhodopsin, allow new strategies for treating these diseases by imparting light-sensitivity onto the remaining retinal neurons after photoreceptor cell death. Retinal degeneration is a heterogeneous set of diseases with diverse secondary effects on the retinal circuitry. Successful treatment strategies have to take into account this diversity, as only the existing retinal hardware can serve as substrate for optogenetic intervention. The goal is to salvage the retinal ruins and to revert the leftover tissue into a functional visual sensor that operates as optimally as possible. Here, we discuss three different successful approaches that have been applied to degenerated mouse retina.

Preoperative serum sex hormone-binding globulin is independently associated with biochemical recurrence after radical prostatectomy and increases the predictive accuracy of a standard multivariable model. Routine assessment of sex hormone-binding globulin sex hormone-binding globulin may be a helpful adjunct to identify patients who need early adjuvant therapy.

A 24-core TPB is a safe procedure with a high PCa detection rate. Few of the detected PCa are clinically insignificant. Men with at least two negative transrectal biopsies may be counseled to undergo TPB.

BCG therapy is a safe option for patients with high-risk NMIBC following solid organ transplantation. However, there is a substantial risk of recurrence and progression. Urologists and patients considering BCG therapy should be aware of this and may consider early cystectomy. There is no evidence to support the need for prophylactic antibiotics.